


Aerie Prologue and Chapter One: The Sequence

by Calebus



Category: Avengers, Shi'ar - Fandom, X-Men
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-12
Updated: 2014-01-12
Packaged: 2018-01-08 10:29:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,954
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1131571
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Calebus/pseuds/Calebus
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In the heart of the Shi'ar Empire, the datasong calls its new chosen. A new secret order is assembled, and they have their sights set on restoring the empire to its true glory.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Aerie Prologue and Chapter One: The Sequence

**Author's Note:**

  * For [antiochene](https://archiveofourown.org/users/antiochene/gifts).



Cal'syee Neramani floated weightlessly in her restoration vestibule, a broken queen, a broken warrior. Silenced, and subdued by the resolve of her sister Lilandra, and perhaps her own rage. The Shi'ar empire was and continues to be the pre-eminent intergalactic superpower, the technology and culture of countless conquered worlds subsumed and at its immediate disposal. As a result, the Shi'ar indubitably possess the most advanced medical science in the galaxy. Despite this Cal'syee also known as Deathbird was consigned to a living death, injuries sustained to her torso and spinal cord were so severe the healing caste of the Shi'ar were unable to predict how soon the nano-spores currently lacing her nervous system would be able to completely repair the damage if at all. Barely conscious Cal'syee nevertheless had some sense she was on the precipice, the razor's edge between life and the great beyond. Part of her welcomed this, if this was the end, so be it, she would die in the service of the Empire. The True Empire. Cal'syee was normally semi conscious, able to hear the occasional ramblings of the royal doctors assigned to attend to her, check her vitals, and observe the progress of the nano spores. This evening however was different. Tonight the chaos of Cal'syee's shattered mind and nervous system took shape. 

Tonight she was closed off from her external senses and completely submerged within her own fragile psyche. Deep within a lucid dream that was much more than a dream, it was both history and a prophecy. Cal'syee stood on dark soil looking up at tempest ridden sky, somewhere Calysee knew that each lightening stike that stretched across the sky was a manifestation of her mind fighting to be whole, as well as residues from her recent fury, the rage that lived along Calsysee her entire life. A rage spurred by faint memories of where she was, and who put her there. Lilandra. The weakest example of the Neramani sequence in her opinion, Cal'syee's fist clenched as she reflected on the abject weakness of her sister, a woman unfit for her station, who seemed to fight actively for the empire's ruin. Always placing some abstract sense of peace, or honour before the empire. The Shi'ar were predators, their existence, their very prosperity, was purchased by the perennial blooding of tooth and claw. Cal;syee may have shared an iron clad resolve with her brother and sisters , but Lilandra's variety was pure folly, a tragic weaknesses that the entire empire paid for. #Misguided wench# she thought to herself as she began to walk on a stone path that seemed to form out of nothing before her feet.

Cal'syee needed to calm her nerves, she looked at the dark landscape surrounding her. It was not an environment she was immediately familiar with, but it did smell familiar…..in some distant abstract sense, it smelled like home. It did not take Cal'syee long to realize, she was home…..not Chandilar the artificial super capital of the Shiar empire, the only planet in the known universe that could sustain a week long defence against Galactus, but their ancestral home…...the humble nest that spawned them. Cal'syee was on Aerie. The lightening storm seemed to intensify as Cal'syee walked down the path, seemingly directing where she should go. As Calsyee walked further bright translucent stone pillars began to emerge from the ground giving more definition and direction to this emerging path. Suddenly images began to appear in each pillar. Some images Calysee recognized first hand, others she recalled from her youth studying in the Imperial Academy, in all the stone pillars were alien species…..these were presented with one glaring commonality, they were all Alien species the shi'ar had conquered at one point or another, the Scyar'Tal , the Mephisitoids, the mighty Strontians, even the devastating and much feared hoddin.

"Kythri Preserve…..what is the meaning of this?"

Cal'syee was too distracted to notice she had reached the end of the path, a large temple nestled within a mountainous structure with a large spire, something uncoiled in her deep memory, not something she knew of first hand, but something in her blood recognized this place, not by experience but through instinct. Leaving behind the stone path, Cal'syee pushed open the doors to the temple and ventured inside. 

Ancient style wooden pews adorned the church in rows, on the pews were various crowns she recognized from her studies, crowns from empires long conquered perhaps widely forgot. In the centre of the temple was a pulpit with a leather bound book. 3 Scratchmarks the impression of a bird of prey's talons marked the cover. Cal'syee gasped, 

"The Roosting Tome!" The ancient text, and de-facto bible of the Shi'ar, stood before her. A book long lost but recalled and orally trasmitted courtesy of the first high priests of the Shi'ar. The book had long since taken holographic and digital form but the tome itself, was believed to hold the first and truest account of the Shi'ar cosmology the forced marriage of their Dieties Sharra and K'ythri. Though she still knew this was but a dream, Cal'syee revelled at this once in a lifetime experience. 

"For the Aerie." She uttered reverently as she opened the book. Cal'Syee was shocked to find nothing but blank ravaged pages, she continued to search frantically but as she did a sound began to fill her mindscape. It began faintly but eventually became a deafening crescendo. Suddenly images began to fill the blank pages of the ancient, images of the phoenix flying a blazing trail across the universe before it's disassembly on its moon and eventual dispersal across the earth, her sister's assasination by the fraternity of raptors. A tear in spacetime incurred by a kree weapon of mass destruction, the expulsion of the m'kraan from their homeworld. The images suffused Cal'syee's mind with knowledge almost seamlessly. The ground began to shake and crack as if it was volcano ready to burst. Cal'syee stood fearless letting out a triumphant laugh, she let the chaos rip through her mindscape she was one with it now. This deafening cry, in it's horror and beauty showed her the past present and the future, many futures, weaving before her like living tapestry a maddening fury of possibilties and permutations. She knew what she was hearing now, it was the fabled datasong, a glorious anthem to the empire's inevitable triumph. At long last Cal'syee had proof that her efforts were not in vain, her shunning, her madness, all of it paid off in the balance. Vindication would be hers, all she had to do was bide her time, a reckoning was coming, and the entire universe would feel the brunt of it. 

Still hovering in her restoration vestibule a faint but unmistakable smirk crawled across the corner of Cal'syee's mouth. It was a smile many of her prey have seen over the years, moments before their immediate demise. She was the Deathbird after all. 

 

**************

"Perhaps we should trust the majestor? See how things turn out first?" - Chancellor Arakus queried

Oh K'ythri's cock! This is simply unbearable! first an Earther mutant? Now a Strontian slave? How much disgrace can our dear empire endure? How many more pretend emperors will we cede our throne to, before the stars stop laughing at us? Serverus Rook'shir shouted scolding an assembly of shi'ar men sitting around a table he shared with them. 

"Your name still drips with the blood of countless innocents, Rook'shir, you would be wise to be mindful of how you address any talk of disgrace…. Do not delude yourself, though we have all been called to serve the revitalization of this ancient and esteemed order as brothers, your presence here is tolerated at best. Chancellor Arakus retorted in disgust, 

"You'll have to forgive my colleague, Serverus", To'rek Shakari interjected "administrating this order and plotting its course has been very stressful for our dear Arakus, we all bear the mark, and we all heard the song, but your election to the order took us all by surprise. We must tread carefully, as the last known Rook'shir currently in Shi'ar space you were scheduled for a capital execution, staying your execution, and issuing your prison "transfer" burnt up almost every political leverage we collectively held we simply cannot afford to make any more waves Serverus. Agent Crimson, how fares our beloved Emperor? - Shakari queried with obvious sarcasm

"Busy" The statuesque spy's voice boomed " Busy but not unprepared. It appears our fledgling Majestor has at long last learned the art of delegation. The Imperial Guard and the Imperial Armada are still repairing themselves after the builder war, licking wounds that need licking, restructuring where required. But I must warn, this post has changed Kallark. He's evolved from the brutish and ignorant dolt who used to lick after any sitter to the throne. He's developed tact, anticipation, craftiness, and stealth worthy of any Majestor. His hatred for the order still burns unabated. Yes he enacted the ancient protocol during the recent phalkon incident, but make no mistake, he hates the order and is aware of its stealth as well. Rumour even has it he had truly loved Lilandra. A rumour corroborated by the clear ferocity at which he slaughtered our predecessors. He's commissioned an initiative in her name. The Lilandra Protocol. Trained sensitives and psionics on every Shi'ar world. Trained and led by that whore-guard Oracle. Scheduled psionic sweeps search for targeted thought patterns of or related to the secret order. My colleagues, Kallark is not playing around. He's issued and authorized an undocumented Class 9 Imperial Execution order for any Shi'ar or non-Shiar, caught in the sweeps."

"Sharra's Cunt" Shakari gasped….."And you bring this news with no data of this network? No names of the associates involved? The intervals of those sweeps? Just what exactly did you learn at the Red Nest? Has the empire's mighty spy nest fallen so low? 

"Carrion Prey!! Vulture!" Agent crimson lunged after Shakari incensed by his direct insult. Unsheathing his blade from its holder. It was councilman Naganandini who intervened restraining him , possibly saving Shakari's life. 

"Gentlemen please….." The white feathered Shi'ar pleaded. " while we're here lets not forget what standard to which we have been called to, and please let us not act like uninitiated hatchlings….we have an empire to save. Whatever this is between you swallow it."

"My apologies Va'ardan," Crimson pleaded, "it's just that…..to be insulted so, by one such as he….The red nest, even the very empire itself is still reeling from the amassed blunders of the Plighted Shakari Sequence, he would do well to hold his tongue in the fut---.

"ENOUGH!" - Arakus' voice boomed,  
"Councilman Naganandini is right, we must put aside our personal differences, if we cannot over come that we cannot set out to serve the empire as we have been called to…..Agent Crimson, please continue your report"

 

"Thank you sire, as I was saying, the Majestor has mounted a prodigious psychic pre-emptive against the secret order, It is a miracle we all draw breath still, but I theorize that it was the datasong that saved us. It's frequencies though we barely have begun to understand them may have shielded our thoughts. At current it appears as though the sweeps are only picking up casual dissidents, and those with loose affiliations to the previous order. This is a blessing in disguise as the wheat has potentially been separated from the chaff, and we will no longer have to contend with any politicking from the old guard.  
Nevertheless precaution will still be paramount to our survival. 

Agent Crimson took out a box, opening it to reveal 7 golden discs

"Emil would you like to debrief our esteemed colleagues on our new technology" Crimson remarked

"I'd be honoured to " Emil Redhand replied

"My brothers may I present to you, K'ythri's cloak. Undocumented and classified propriety technology, known only to us….and that reality will stay that way if you want to live… a few cycles back , my wayward pirate of a brother launched an embarrassingly unsuccessful campaign to steal lucrative technology during the Gul Damar uprising. During his attempt he and his associates encountered an alien species known as the friendless. We know very little about this species, but intelligence suggests that he manifested psi abilities registering up to at least 10-tau-9 on the Kiatna psi scale.

A hush descended on the shi'ar in the meeting, the disbelief and shock regarding what was just uttered mutually palpable to all...it was To'rek Shakari who broke the silence

"10-tau-9? by the Gods, that is virtually-"

"Phalkon Scale Telepathic emergence? Yes. " Crimson quickly interjected, 

Emil decided to share more intel, sensing the need to induce some calm

"according to eye witness accounts the Friendless did not manifest the phalkon, however, and this is a considerable however, he was able to stand talon to talon against a past host to the phalkon, an Earther Mutant known as Rachel Grey, registered at 9-tau-9 on the same scale. Upon their first encounter he allegedly knocked her out for several days. 

Shakari's ears perked up at the mention of Rachel Grey, 

"Rachel Grey you say? Student of the Queen Consort the cripple Xavier? Daughter of the earth borne dark Phoenix?!....oh that is rich!" Shakari said with a chuckle, Serverus was that not the whore of your cousin the rebel outlaw Korvus? Or was he her whore my memory fails me these days." 

Serverus said nothing, save for an intense glare that signaled his lack of amusement.

" I swear you Rook'shir's I'm not sure if it is fate or fetish that makes you all perpetual whore-slaves to this phalkon" 

"Enough" Araki's voice boomed again  
"Crimson what relevance does this account hold to this technology and what does it mean for us" 

 

"Right sire, after the Gul Damar incident, The friendless fell into Shi'ar custody, once the civil wars had subsided and Majestor Gladiator took his throne, the friendless was also scheduled for capital execution" Crimson said, giving a playful wink and grin to the incensed Serverus. 

"The friendless offered me a deal, his people's tech in exchange for his freedom, and safe travel to his home the ten-red-seed nest. I wanted to decline but the moment he made this offer the data song sang deafeningly in my head. I knew this offer would be necessary somehow yet I did not know how exactly…..until weeks later when I learned of the Lilandra Protocol. I aided the friendless, and he was able to mindslave a skrull whom he forced to assume his form and was executed in his stead. In return he provided us with this technology.

Yes the odds are stacked against us, but providence and ancient wisdom guides are course. 

Crimson took one of the discs and pressed it lightly against his temple. The disc seemed to move with life and became viscous in shape. Spreading across his temple it took the colour of his skin and then promptly disappeared after a faint glow. 

The K'ythri disc will render us blanketed from deep psionic scans….a caution however, the tech needs to be used smartly, sparingly. Prolong use, may signal a void anomaly during indepth telepathic sweeps. 

"Amazing work Gentlemen" Chancellor Arakus replied, visibly pleased with the developments, now that the issue of our safety is addressed, how fares project scion? 

"Unfortuantely the empress' egg and hatchling was not viable it appeared to have sustained significant damage as well" To'rek interjected,  
"We were able to extract it, but by the time it was deposited into the maturation vestibule, the genetic material had degraded beyond salvage." 

"That is most unfortunate" Lamented Arakus'  
"What of the contingency, any developments there?" 

 

"Yes Sire," Crimson responded, "Procuring the Empress's genetic samples, was no obstacle obviously, the second set however was a trifle difficult, but by K'ythri's providence it was done. What we plan to do with them however, well, I'm in no position to say….Councilman Nagandini?" 

"Intelligence from a past contingent of our death commandos indicate the existence of a male phalkon scale telepath bearing elements of the genome we have vested our interest in, he also happens to be one of the X-Men." Va'ardan began.  
"Rumours indicate his existence was wrought in the very same manner of which we plan to duplicate. We just required firsthand confirmation, and an example of the science that made it so. Fortuitously, another agent of the Majestor, Warbird class and my sister, has taken up permanent residence, on earth with the Majestor's blessing. She serves as bodyguard to the current heir to the Shi'ar throne." 

"Not for long " - Shakari scoffed in retaliation. 

"Warbird Naganandini is stationed with the prince at a newly minted mutant school run by the X-Men on Earth, a school brimming with Shi'ar technology donated by our generous Majestor Councilman Nagandini Continued  
"Using crawler tech and Warbird's communication suite as an access point I've been able to infiltrate the X-Men's systems and databases without detection, my initial attempts were spotty, but were strongest when we had stargates open near the Sol system. Medical data confirms the rumours. The telepath appears to be a mutant named Nate Grey, not from our temporal stream however. The data indicates he originated within temporal corridor 495. An alternate timeline that saw the earth conquered by an ancient God-Mutant named En-Sabah Nur….long and convoluted set of events I 'll spare you the details. We set our temporal cartographers to task this morning, they located the timeline and sent a contingent of our stealthbirds, to get in , procure the science and leave promptly...My brothers they were successful. It's Ironic really, we scoff at that planet as a backwater world, but we must be humble. The genius of Nathaniel Essex will stoke the fire of rebirth for our great Imperium" 

Councilman Naganandini placed a metal disc on the table and pressed a button on it. Instantly a holographic projection t shimmered into view above the table. The projection displayed a wellspring of information detailing formulas for advanced cloning procedures as well as information on omega level mutations and a detailed genealogy of the grey and summers bloodlines. 

"As Agent Crimson aptly said. Providence guides us" - Councilman Naganandini Concluded

"Sharra and K'ythri be praised" Arakus' uttered with exuberance,  
How soon can we begin the process?" 

"Our science caste has been alerted, they know nothing of our goal or the source of the samples, just the work we require them to do, they are prepared to begin tomorrow" - Naganandini replied. 

"Have them begin tonight" - Arakus' interjected  
"Accelerate the timescale, it will give us leverage in case there are any surprises we must contend with" 

"My lord" Shakari said with a cautious tone,  
"Most of us know first hand how immense omega level mutations can be, the late Emperor Vulcan was powerful yes, but still he was felled by a Kree abomination, What happens if our pet project suffers the same fate? Genetics aside this is Kallark we're talking about, a full blooded Strontian. " 

Arakus nodded at Shakari's comment "Your concern is valid To'rek. For our purposes we only require that the challenge be made, in the audience of the high council and with the sequence recognized officially. If Kallark should dare to push the matter, well I have contingency prepared for that scenario.

"What contingency?" Shakari asked

"a little contingency codenamed Thanoseed." Arakus continued  
"according to our intelligence it appears the Mad Titan has left the galaxy a gift. A gift that has recently ventured into our space seeking answers. I have offered to provide those answers on the condition of some….cooperation if you will. That said this will be a delicate, potentially messy state of affairs, the Imperial guard cannot be present when we pull off this gambit. They are loyal to a fault to the current emperor for obvious reasons, their presence will exponentially complicate matters."

"We will have that covered sire." Agent Crimson answered  
"Miraculously we've been able to keep the shadow guard in the dark. Officially they are detained on Kr'kn, awaiting execution per Majestor Kallark's orders, but we've whisked them off to one of the clenchwords. They still think they're on orders from the throne, so we can use that to our advantage. We can arrange for a false alert of a jail break and manoeuver a confrontation with the imperial guard. Resentment between the two guards are palplable and should work to our advantage in the coming change."

"Then we reconvene in one week, Councilman, will our project be complete by then? " Arakus queried

"Yes sire" Naganandini replied. "

"Then under K'ythri's wing, go, excellent work my brothers, The Imperium shall soon regain it's splendour" Arakus said with a reverent tone. 

"Seven Discs" - Rook'shir uttered inquisitively

"I beg your pardon?" Arakus answered

"Seven discs....six for each of us, who does the seventh belong to?" 

Councilman Naganandini picked the seventh disc with glowed red, he held it up reverently for all to see.  
"This disc my brothers, will give intent and purpose to our great champion, it possesses a memory script to shape the mind, and a telepathic nesting interface. It will allow us to communicate with other telepathically in emergencies, as well as guide the choices of our new saviour through subtle hypnotic suggestions."

Arakus smiled triumphantly after that last tidbit of information, for so long the Ancient Secret Order had been hobbled unexpected disappointment and crippling defeats. He looked around at this illustrious assembly, they all had their differences yes, but those would soon be immaterial, his heart swelled with pride at the realization that this could be the single most effective secret order in the history of the Imperium. It was a good feeling. 

 

*********

 

Councilman Naganandini walked down a long corridor, in an underground top secret laboratory. He was on Sharra's flame. A science planet where the Shi'ar Empire carried out research and development on their bleeding edge technology and advanced theories. It was one of the Shi'ar's most secured assets and secrets, a place many of earth's SWORD analysts thought was myth and dubbed the "area 51" of the Shi'ar. Naganandini arrived at a large door, and pressed his palm against a security sensor. It flickered with light, and a beep before opening the large doorway him. Inside a large maturation vestibule rested a shi'ar hybrid, the cloning cycle was just about finish. Naganandini took awhile to marvel at the sight before him. He had genetic precursor traits like his genetic mother, Wings, and talon like digits. His wings were more burgundy in colour however , and he possesed low hair, not unlike an earther. Without the wings he might even pass for human, save for the unmistakable royal markings that adorned his face, an unmistakeable trademark ofthe the Neramani sequence. Unlike what has been seen before, this Shi'ar's markings were golden-red in colour. If Naganandini had to describe project scion with one word, 'Otherworldy' would do perfectly. The science caste executed the science wonderfully, Naganandini made a mental note to reward them handsomely. He pushed a button on the console, which opened the maturation chamber. He opened a box containing the seventh K'ythri cloak and pressed it against project scion's temple. It flickered with light, became viscous, with a bright glow before fading into his skin. Immediately his royal markings began to glow a reaction he was not expecting. Naganandini leaned forward whispering into Project Scion's ear

"You are the fire that will burn this Imperium clean" the councilman uttered

Soon after the Shi'ar's eyes flashed open, his left eye glowing in unision with his royal marks.  
After months of plotting and careful execution it was done. 

Hephaestus Summers-Neramani was born.


End file.
